Aircraft History
Built by North American Aviation (NAA) in Inglewood. Constructor Number 109-28266. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-51D-10-NA Mustang serial number 44-14633. Converted to F-6D-10-NA photographic reconnaissance version. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) and reassembled.

Mission History
On December 4, 1944 at 3:00pm took off from Biak Island piloted by 1st Lt. James G. Richards as one of six Mustangs on a ferry flight bound for Wama Airfield on Morotai Island. After take off, the formation separated into two flights. This aircraft was part of the second flight including Lt. Richards and his wingman 1st Lt. Charles R. Garner.

At 3:45pm the formation passed Middleburg, checked the weather then proceeded to Morotai. Approaching the northern tip of Halmahera, the weather became bad with heavy towering cumulus clouds from sea level to 30,000'. Due to a shortage of fuel, the formation could not turn back and attempted to fly through an opening at 12,000', but the weather closed in at 5:45pm. Richards became separated in the bad weather and was heard by 2nd Lt. Philips, 1st Lt. Garner and 2nd Lt. Lambert contacting Morotai for weather reports by radio.

F-6D Mustang piloted by Garner bailed out and was later rescued. The rest of the formation were told to reverse course, flew for 15 minutes but experienced weak radio signal, so returned to their original heading and landed safely at 6:15pm at Wama Airfield. When this aircraft failed to arrive it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).

MemorialsRichards was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. As the mission was non-combat, he did not earn the Purple Heart posthumously. Richards is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing.